CHAMPCAR/CART: Mexico City: Power wins Excellence Award

WILL POWER WINS PRESTIGOUS BRIDGESTONE AWARD
Team Australia's Will Power has clinched the prestigious
Bridgestone Passion For Excellence Award in his rookie Champ
Car season.
Power only needed to complete one lap at speed in his ...

WILL POWER WINS PRESTIGOUS BRIDGESTONE AWARD

Team Australia's Will Power has clinched the prestigious
Bridgestone Passion For Excellence Award in his rookie Champ
Car season.

Power only needed to complete one lap at speed in his Aussie
Vineyards Team Australia Lola in today's final round of the
Bridgestone presents the Champ Car World Series powered by
Ford in Mexico City to win the award.

Ironically, Power had to wait six laps to clinch the title
after a first-lap incident on the main straight saw the first
five laps start under full course yellow.

Power also clinched the Champ Car Rookie of the Year award
early in the race after his closest opponent, Dan Clarke,
withdrew after seven laps with mechanical problems.

The Bridgestone Passion For Excellence Award honours the
driver who completes the fastest aggregate race lap around
every circuit on the 2006 Champ Car World Series schedule.

That is, if all 14 tracks were laid end to end, the driver
with the fastest cumulative lap, based on his or her best
race lap at each track, earns the Bridgestone Passion for
Excellence Award.

This year marks the fourth time the award has been presented,
but the first time someone other than three-time champion
Sebastien Bourdais will be the recipient.

The award winner receives a custom-made painting by Jim
Swintal, motor artist and Champ Car Clerk of Course,
depicting a highlight moment from the driver's season.

For this year, Swintal has selected the Surfers Paradise race
where Power collected his first pole position as a Champ Car
driver. Power will be presented the painting at the Champ Car
banquet this Saturday night in Indianapolis.

"Congratulations to Will and the entire Team Australia group
for earning the Bridgestone Passion For Excellence Award,"
said Al Speyer, Executive Director, Bridgestone Motorsport.

"They truly earned it because it is won over the course of
an entire season, not just a race or two.

"A driver must be able to complete at least one lap at speed
in each race to qualify, which eliminated some other
potential front-runners this year.

"Will was impressive in his ability to avoid that pitfall
and post consistently fast laps at all 14 events this season.
I am particularly impressed that, not only did he win the
Passion For Excellence Award, but he did so as a rookie."

It has been a big month for Power, who took his first
Bridgestone pole award in front of his home crowd at the
Lexmark Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise, Australia three weeks
ago.

"First of all I have to thank Bridgestone for their
fantastic support of Champ Car and their commitment with
things like the Bridgestone Passion For Excellence Award,"
said Power.

"There is little doubt that awards like these belong to the
whole team and I have to thank everyone who has been a part
of the Team Australia program in my rookie season.

"It's the team's efforts which have enabled me to be
consistent this season and be in the running for such an
award.

"I cannot wait to see Jim Swintal's painting next Saturday
night. It will certainly be one of the most unique trophies I
have ever received."